just david(公正的大卫)-第42章
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and Dr。 Kennedy has had consultation with Dr。 Benson from the Junction。
They are doing all in their power； of course； but they say thatthat it's
going to be the nursing that will count now。〃
〃Then I don't fear for him； surely〃 declared the man； with fervor。
〃I know； butwell； he shall have the very best possibleof that。〃
〃I know he will； but isn't there anythinganything that I can do？〃
She shook her head。
〃No。 Of course； if he gets better〃 She hesitated； then lifted her chin a
little higher； 〃WHEN he gets better；〃 she corrected with courageous
emphasis； 〃he will want to see you。〃
〃And he shall see me；〃 asserted Gurnsey。 〃And he will be better； Mrs。
Holly；I'm sure he will。〃
〃Yes； yes； of course； onlyoh； Mr。 Jack； he's so sickso very sick！ The
doctor says he's a peculiarly sensitive nature； and that he thinks
something's been troubling him lately。〃 Her voice broke。
〃Poor little chap！〃 Mr。 Jack's voice； too； was husky。
She looked up with swift gratefulness for his sympathy。
〃And you loved him； too； I know〃 she choked。 〃He talks of you often
very often。〃
〃Indeed I love him！ Who could help it？〃
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〃There couldn't anybody； Mr。 Jack；and that's just it。 Now； since he's
been sick； we've wondered more than ever who he is。 You see； I can't help
thinking that somewhere he's got friends who ought to know about him
now。〃
〃Yes； I see；〃 nodded the man。
〃He isn't an ordinary boy； Mr。 Jack。 He's been trained in lots of ways
about his manners； and at the table； and all that。 And lots of things his
father has told him are beautiful； just beautiful！ He isn't a tramp。 He never
was one。 And there's his playing。 YOU know how he can play。〃
〃Indeed I do！ You must miss his playing； too。〃
〃I do； he talks of that； also；〃 she hurried on； working her fingers
nervously together； 〃but oftenest hehe speaks of singing； and I can't quite
understand that； for he didn't ever sing； you know。〃
〃Singing？ What does he say？〃 The man asked the question because he
saw that it was affording the overwrought little woman real relief to free
her mind； but at the first words of her reply he became suddenly alert。
〃It's 'his song；' as he calls it； that he talks about； always。 It isn't much
what he saysbut I noticed it because he always says the same thing； like
this： I'll just hold up my chin and march straight on and on； and I'll sing it
with all my might and main。' And when I ask him what he's going to sing；
he always says； 'My songmy song；' just like that。 Do you think； Mr。 Jack；
he did havea song？〃
For a moment the man did not answer。 Something in his throat
tightened； and held the words。 Then； in a low voice he managed to
stammer：
〃I think he did； Mrs。 Holly； andI think he sang it； too。〃 The next
moment； with a quick lifting of his hat and a murmured 〃I'll call again
soon；〃 he turned and walked swiftly down the driveway。
So very swiftly； indeed； was Mr。 Jack walking； and so self…absorbed
was he； that he did not see the carriage until it was almost upon him； then
he stepped aside to let it pass。 What he saw as he gravely raised his hat
was a handsome span of black horses； a liveried coachman； and a pair of
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startled eyes looking straight into his。 What he did not see was the quick
gesture with which Miss Holbrook almost ordered her carriage stopped the
minute it had passed him by。
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CHAPTER XXII
AS PERRY SAW IT
One by one the days passed； and there came from the anxious
watchers at David's bedside only the words； 〃There's very little change。〃
Often Jack Gurnsey went to the farmhouse to inquire for the boy。 Often；
too； he saw Perry Larson； and Perry was never loath to talk of David。 It
was from Perry； indeed； that Gurnsey began to learn some things of David
that he had never known before。
〃It does beat all；〃 Perry Larson said to him one day； 〃how many folks
asks me how that boy isfolks that you'd never think knew him； anyhow；
ter say nothin' of carin' whether he lived or died。 Now； there's old Mis'
Somers； fur instance。 YOU know what she issour as a lemon an' puckery
as a chokecherry。 Well； if she didn't give me yesterday a great bo…kay o'
posies she'd growed herself； an' said they was fur himthat they berlonged
ter him； anyhow。
〃'Course； I didn't exactly sense what she meant by that； so I asked her
straight out； an' it seems that somehow； when the boy first come； he struck
her place one day an' spied a great big red rose on one of her bushes。 It
seems he had his fiddle； an' he； played it；that rose a…growin' （you know
his way！）； an' she heard an' spoke up pretty sharp an' asked him what in
time he was doin'。 Well； most kids would 'a' run；knowin' her temper as
they does；but not much David。 He stands up as pert as ye please； an' tells
her how happy that red rose must be ter make all that dreary garden look
so pretty； an' then he goes on； merry as a lark； a…playin' down the hill。
〃Well； Mis' Somers owned up ter me that she was pretty mad at the
time； 'cause her garden did look like tunket； an' she knew it。 She said she
hadn't cared ter do a thing with it since her Bessie died that thought so
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much of it。 But after what David had said； even mad as she was； the thing
kind o' got on her nerves； an' she couldn't see a thing； day or night； but that
red rose a…growin' there so pert an' courageous…like； until at last； jest ter
quiet herself； she fairly had ter set to an' slick that garden up！ She said she
raked an' weeded； an' fixed up all the plants there was； in good shape； an'
then she sent down to the Junction fur some all growed in pots； 'cause 't
was too late ter plant seeds。 An； now it's doin' beautiful； so she jest could
n't help sendin' them posies ter David。 When I told Mis' Holly； she said she
was glad it happened； 'cause what Mis' Somers needed was somethin' ter
git her out of herselfan' I'm free ter say she did look better…natured； an'
no mistake；kind o' like a chokecherry in blossom； ye might say。〃
〃An' then there's the Widder Glaspell；〃 continued Perry； after a pause。〃
'Course； any one would expect she'd feel bad； seein' as how good David
was ter her boyteachin' him ter play； ye know。 But Mis' Glaspell says Joe
jest does take on somethin' turrible； an' he won't tech the fiddle； though he
was plum carried away with it when David was well an' teachin' of him。
An' there's the Clark kid。 He's lame； ye know； an' he thought the world an'
all of David's playin'。
〃 'Course； there's you an' Miss Holbrook； always askin' an' sendin'
thingsbut that ain't so strange； 'cause you was 'specially his friends。 But
it's them others what beats me。 Why； some days it's 'most ev'ry soul I meet；
jest askin' how he is； an' sayin' they hopes he'll git well。 Sometimes it's
kids that he's played to； an' I'll be triggered if one of 'em one day didn't
have no excuse to offer except that David had f
